Uchiha Itachi's Christmas Carol
by KatsushigaHoshibi
Summary: Given the new title of Akatsuki's treasurer, Itachi faces more than one ghost from the past. Based on Charles Dicken's classic masterpiece. Merry Christmas '07.


Uchiha Itachi's Christmas Carol

A Naruto Fanfiction

Written by Katsushiga Hoshibi

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Uchiha Shisui was dead to begin with. Seven years ago to this very day, his partner, Uchiha Itachi, for great personal gain had killed him. Itachi was cold, ruthless, and did everything that needed to be done with dire efficiency. It was as result of this diabolical personality that he had taken up the mantle that Kakuzu had left after being defeated by a Konoha genin.

As the treasurer of Akatsuki, Itachi found a new use for his cruel and dispassionate mentality, counting each and every piece of gold that entered the villainous syndicate's treasury. Even on Christmas Eve, he found himself counting gold, listening to the harsh winds blow chilled and violent air against the building Itachi was working in with one other.

Tobi shivered in the corner, attempting to make his fingers work in the frigid weather. His only visible eye flicked to the frozen and empty stove. How desperately Tobi desired to be warmed, Itachi didn't care to notice in the least.

"Please, Mr. Uchiha, can't we just turn the stove on for a short while?" Tobi rubbed his hands eagerly in front of himself as his boss turned the blood red sharingan eyes on him.

"Wood for fuel takes either time or money, nothing we can spare to afford," the villain answered in turn. "Now crunch those numbers or you'll go without dinner."

Tobi looked inspired and pointed a finger in the air to make a point. "Couldn't you just use one of your fire jutsu to make the stove just burn for a short while?" The glare returned was enough to drop the room another ten degrees.

"The only way you'll see such a technique will be if you do not get back to work," Itachi reprimanded.

At that very moment, two anbu from Konoha suddenly burst through the door. Instead of a flurry of shurikan, they shouted good cheers of Christmas. Tobi looked first from his master to them, surprised and unsure, as Itachi stood up to show them the door.

"Good sirs," they started, full of good spirits. "Would you care to donate any good gold for Konoha's poor?"

"Do we not have poor houses?" Itachi's icy glare cut through to their hearts.

"Why sir, some would rather die than go to the poor house," one of the anbu replied.

"Then let them die," Itachi said, dropping the two with a genjutsu glare. "I've enough of this. Tobi, take care of the rest and take out this garbage."

Before the masked ninja could reply, Itachi had stepped out the door.

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Nestled in his bedroll at the finest of hotels, Itachi laid down to sleep, his mind full of evil. As his eyes bled back to brown, he drifted off to sleep only to be wakened by a sharp, distinct creak. Shaking chains made their way, ever so swiftly to just outside his door. Grabbing a kunai, Itachi braced for what would show.

As the doors slide open, a ghostly apparition stood still, so vile that Itachi was sure he must be in some genjutsu. Staring in his face was his old partner, most certainly dead, for he would never have thought to see Uchiha Shisui once more. Itachi almost dropped his kunai out of fear; his sins had caught up with him, in this late, dark hour.

"Uchiha Itachi, you killed me," the apparition stated calmly.

"Yes, I did."

"Uchiha Itachi, you killed me for your own gain," the ghost howled.

"Is there… a reason you decided to visit me?"

"This night, you will be visited by three apparitions, all who will show you the error of your ways. Your evil knows no bounds, Uchiha Itachi," the ghost continued to moan. The room became foggy and Itachi feared for the worst, but all turned to black, in a hurry without warning.

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Sitting up straight in his bedding, Itachi felt a sweat break from under his hair. The sharingan flared to life as he took notice of his surroundings. Shisui had vanished, but in its stead, a pink haired girl in a green seasonal dress stood before him, offering her hand. She seemed familiar, although Itachi could not hazard a guess.

"Come, Uchiha Itachi, I must show you your past," Sakura said, pulling him upward as the scenery blurred all too fast.

The two now stood in a traditional Japanese home, with a large, fat cut pine tree stood in a room all decked out with holiday cheer. Many presents lay around the tree, with four family members having a holiday feast. Two boys, of different ages, their mother, and father, had just sat down for their dinner.

"Spirit, this is my family, back when I was home. That was such a very long time ago," Itachi commented. He watched as his younger self playfully rubbed young Sasuke's head, running his hands through the young boy's hair.

The rogue ninja looked around, confused. It had been years since he had seen these surroundings. What strange genjutsu held his mind, Itachi did not know. Keeping his cold glare, he turned to the spirit.

"They cannot hear or see us, Uchiha Itachi. This is your past. Now, let us change scenes to another important date. With the annual Konoha ball, where you met your first love," the spirit commanded as the scenery blurred again. The new, familiar sight filled Itachi with both fondness and great sorrow.

In the great Hokage's hall, all of Konoha had shown up, and Itachi was a sight to behold. Many people greeted him in kind, thinking of how he might someday be the next governor ninja. Shisui never left his side, loyal and true, unknowing of the fate that would befall him.

As the crowd parted some, the adolescent Itachi noticed a young maiden in the distance, her short hair pinned up as she wore a pretty gray dress, stuffing her mouth with sweet dumpling buns. A small flush crept up his face, Shisui noticed and grinned, bringing his friend over to meet this new girl.

The older Itachi did not seem impressed. Emotionless, he glared at the scene; not letting his heart beat sadly. It hadn't been enough years to forget what happened next. Sakura stood next to him, prompting him to talk.

"Do you remember her name?"

"It would be hard to forget. That is Mitarashi Anko, a girl I once knew," Itachi replied with an even breath.

"Do you remember what happened next?"

"No, I do not. It wasn't important," Itachi lied.

"Then allow me to show you," Sakura offered as the scene blurred again. This time, Itachi and Anko stood alone on a snowy hill. Itachi was much older by now. Draped in the Akatsuki cloak, it wasn't difficult for Itachi to remember when this very scene had happened.

"Anko, come with me," Itachi commanded.

She pushed him away. "You know I can't. After you murdered your clan, it's a wonder that the hunter nin haven't caught you and killed you. I'm not strong enough to be with you anymore, Itachi. I just can't."

"You're my fiancee. I'll protect you," the younger Itachi offered.

Anko merely shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Itachi. This is goodbye," she announced as she slowly made her way through the snowy scene.

The older Itachi, without meaning to, had reached a hand forward, as to prevent her from leaving. Clenching his first, he lowered it. That Christmas Day had been the worst by far, the day the only woman he loved had left him alone and unloved.

"Spirit, why do you torment me so?" Itachi glared at Sakura, filled with hate. Drawing a kunai, he stabbed at the air, but by then it was too late.

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Sitting up with a silent gasp, Itachi looked around, unsure of what to expect. The room was cold, dark, and empty. Not unlike Itachi's heart. Seeing Anko again had made those old wounds open, something he did not expect.

With a sudden poof of surprise, Jiraiya stood before Itachi on a toad dressed with antlers. Itachi debated trying to kill the spirit, but decided it was futile. Since Sakura had evaded, it made sense that this new one would do the same.

"It's time to see the Christmas at Present! Get it? You get presents at Christmas, and now we're looking at the present… on Christmas," Jiraiya joked. Itachi visibly twitched. Before he could comment something sour, the scenery blurred to a cold, damp cave.

Tobi sneezed and inhaled quite loudly through his noise, it became obvious that he was suffering from a cold. Wrapped around his shoulders was a tattered blanket. Faint burning coals were lit at his feet. Tobi shivered and tried to warm his arms, as his teeth started to chatter.

"Now isn't this a poor sight, Uchiha Itachi? Doesn't it make you feel bad?" Jiraiya smiled a broad grin at Itachi who stood perfectly still. The scene didn't move him; it was such a pity.

"If he dies, it would only inconvenience me," Itachi replied. This made Jiraiya frown.

"Come on, man, think of your fellow Akatsuki. Don't you even care about your friends?"

Itachi thought for a moment. "Not in the least."

"Then maybe I'll show you someone that will turn your heart," Jiraiya commented as the scene swirled again.

Alone before a fireplace, Anko sat passed out with booze in her hand. Itachi winched at the scene, which was completely unexpected. Glancing about, there wasn't a lot of decoration. Not even Christmas sweets could be noted in any direction. One small photo lay in her lap, one of Itachi and her, from many winters back.

"After you left, she fell into a habit. Rather than being happy, she drank like a rabbit. Now each Christmas eve has simply become a time for her to grieve," Jiraiya coldly rhymed. "The one who had stolen her heart had ultimately torn her apart."

Itachi glared at Jiraiya. As time grew by, he wondered if it would be more appropriate to feel bad or to be angry at whoever had trapped him in this genjutsu. This ill dream had gone on for too long. Clenching his fist, Itachi meant to have a few unkind words. As he opened his mouth, the darkness swallowed him.

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Rolling to his feet and throwing kunai in several directions, Itachi didn't want to be caught unprepared this time. One of the kunai made a sickening thunk as it collided with flesh. Turning to see the target, Itachi's eyes widened. It was Hidan, pulling the blade out.

"It would take a lot more than that to kill me, Uchiha Itachi," the spirit laughed. "Jashin-sama wouldn't let his loyal servant die from something so petty."

"So I suppose you're the third spirit, come to show me something as well," Itachi commented.

Hidan shrugged. "Then I guess we can cut all the unnecessary banter," he said as the scene blurred again.

Standing outside a familiar compound, Itachi looked around confused. It had been years since he had been here, to the Uchiha secret armory. Filled with ninja cats and weapons, it was a place that the Uchiha hide away from their Konoha allies.

Realization dawned upon Itachi as looters left the fortress; none other lead then by his own brother, Sasuke. His group of ex-Sound Village criminals was loaded to the hilt, stockpiled with goods. Itachi grieved at this display of disrespect and listened to them laugh. With a frown on his face, he turned to the spirit.

"Hidan, why is he looting? Doesn't he know that it could only be his birthright after my demise?"

Hidan smiled. "Moving on," he commented as the scene swirled to the Rain Village, where Akatsuki was located. The streets lay vacant, which was no great surprise. Ever since Pain had taken over, things were always quite different there.

To Itachi's surprise, they rounded a corner and saw no other but Pain and Konan. The two sat huddled around a fire, their Akatsuki cloaks patched up with lose fabric. They shivered and shook, afraid of the cold.

"Hidan, what is this? What happened to Akatsuki?"

"It has fallen apart. Without you, the organization crumbled. Pain went crazy and Konan had to take care of him. Tobi passed away several winters before, died from the cold and hungry, as well as Zetsu."

"What about Kisame? Surely he survived?"

Hidan smiled again. "He went back to the Wave Country to fulfill a job that was left vacant. Now he's the Rower, who died because of lack of charity."

"Are you serious? Some random rower in the Wave Country died and Kisame took his place? That doesn't even make any sense. No matter, I don't care to hear your retort," Itachi commented. "I just want to know what became of me."

The scene swirled again, this time taking Itachi to a graveyard. Looking around, Itachi pondered the surroundings. Hidan then pointed with one, long, bony finger towards a tombstone. Itachi trembled a little, but moved forward.

The stone read, "Uchiha Itachi."

"This, this isn't possible. Spirit, tell me, what do these visions mean? Are they the things that must come to be or merely the sights of what the future might come to be?"

As Hidan looked on coldly at Itachi's protests, a single figure marched through the deserted scene. Dressed in dark black with deep shadows in her eyes, Anko marched up to the grave and laid a single white rose. She then collapsed, never to move again.

Itachi screamed as Hidan's scythe swung at him from behind.

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Woken with a start, Itachi trembled before recomposing himself. Beams from the sun shone in his room. Racing to the window, he looked out with a start to see the snow gently falling with people milling in the street.

Catching the attention of one blond haired boy, Itachi yelled to the street, "You there, boy, what day is this?"

"What day is this? Why, it's Christmas day, believe it!" Naruto responded without a care in the world.

"The spirits did it! They did it in one night! Thank you boy, thank you! Oh! Something for your trouble," Itachi yelled out, tossing a bag of gold to Naruto's hands.

Rushing to dress, Itachi raced down the stairs and out the inn's great doors into the streets. He was on a mission today, one he must not forget. Itachi raced around to send flowers to Anko, with a note that read, "From one who cares." He even encountered the Anbu once again.

"Good Christmas to you, sirs," Itachi announced with glee. The two anbu were taken aback. "Take this gold and be sure to spread it around, I hear the Wave Country often goes hungry!"

"Why, God bless you, sir," one of the anbu replied in a state of confusion. As Itachi raced off, they merely shrugged.

Getting a feast, he pulled all of Akatsuki together. From Pain to Konan to Tobi to Kisame to Zetsu, he didn't leave anyone out. Itachi made Christmas Day a special treat, for all the Akatsuki to come together and eat. They cheered and enjoyed their meal and even little Tobi was given the first meat.

"God bless us," Tobi prayed. "Everyone."


End file.
